Threat Assessment
by Francesca Monterone
Summary: Mathias takes Tino aside for a "talk".


**Fandom:** Hetalia Axis Powers  
>AU, human names only<br>**Genre:** Romance, Friendship  
><strong>Rating:<strong> K+  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Sweden/Finland

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia Axis Powers or any of the characters, nor am I making any money with this, and so on and so far...

**Summary:**  
>Mathias takes Tino aside for a friendly chat. Oneshot, outtakecompanion to Song of Silence.

* * *

><p>There are moments in his life when Mathias feels like he is following some sort of unseen script, written for him by some unknown higher power, and without the opportunity to make any changes. He isn't usually superstitious, nor does he believe in predestination. The blind, unquestioning faith of his very religious parents offers him no comforts, and the idea of not being able to decide his own fate makes him uneasy.<p>

Still, there are these moments, and this strange feeling that he can do nothing about. This is one of them.

Berwald has announced that he'll take a shower and change out of his funeral attire into something more comfortable, and presumably, he's upstairs, doing just that. Tino is making his way downstairs, looking thoughtful.

"Tino," Mathias says, motioning to a chair across from him, "come, sit. Birgit brought some cake yesterday, it'd be a shame to let it go to waste. Maybe we'll even be able to convince Berwald to eat some later. I haven't seen him eat all day." He watches Tino round the table and slide into the chair. He looks pale in his black silk shirt, but Mathias can't deny that he is attractive in an ephemeral, slightly feminine way. _Well, let's see if there's more to him than just a pretty face._

He pushes a plate with a piece of chocolate cake towards Tino. "Coffee?"

"Please." Tino takes the cup, and looking up, says: "You're worried about him."

"Yeah, well, Berwald not eating is usually a pretty bad sign. Matilda used to say that trying to feed the three of us - Berwald, Lukas and me - was like feeding a small army." He smiles briefly at the memory, then adds: "Do me a favor - make him eat something when he comes downstairs. I get the feeling that you could get him to do pretty much anything." He is watching Tino closely, hawk-eyed, and sees him shift in his chair slightly uncomfortable.

"What makes you say that?" Tino asks, looking wary.

Mathias puts his cup down and spreads his hands on the table. "Well," he says slowly, "should be obvious, no? He's in love with you. And don't tell me you haven't noticed, because it's pretty damn obvious."

There's a conflicting mix of emotions on Tino's face, but he settles for skeptic and slightly offended. "And maybe it's also none of your business?" he suggests. His voice is soft, but there is steel in it. Mathias approves.

"Actually it is." He points at himself. "Hello? Best friend here. _Of course _it's my business."

"Are you?" Tino asks in that same soft voice. Okay, now _that_ one was below the belt. Because the implication is pretty clear: _some best friend you are, not bothering to visit before._

Mathias sighs. "Okay, fair point. Still, I'd like to think so. Don't get me wrong, Tino. I don't dislike you - yet - I'm just curious. This is threat assessment, right?"

Tino frowns. "What?"

"Threat assessment," Mathias repeats, leaning back in his chair. "Best friend - potential boyfriend. In the absence of ex-boyfriends, I'm the next best thing you have to a rival, while you are a potential threat to my relationship with Berwald. So we have to stake our claims, see where we stand, find common ground and a way of coexisting."

"Please don't tell me you are a psychology major."

"Biochemistry, but that's beside the point, because I'm right about this. So here's the thing about me: I have _never_ been interested in being anything but friends with Berwald, and I'm entirely sure that's mutual. Hell, before you came along I would never have expected him to fall in love with a guy. I know Berwald pretty well, and I've known him for a long time, and I never even doubted that he was straight and had a thing for buxom blondes." He gives Tino a lopsided grin. "Well, you're blond. Got one thing right, at least. Anyway, you've got no reason to be jealous of me. But that won't keep me from dissolving you in acid if you break his heart. That goes without saying, right?"

"Right. Well, maybe not the acid part," Tino mutters. He looks rather taken aback. _Good,_ Mathias thinks. Threats are only half as effective if they are anticipated.

"So... your turn. I've made my point; I'm no threat to you, as long as you don't hurt Berwald. Now convince me that you don't mean to do that and we should be good."

Tino is looking down at his hands in silence.

_Oh boy. Not good..._

"I can't." He looks up at Mathias again. "I can't promise you anything." There's an apology on his face, and real pain in his eyes, and Mathias understands that he's thought about this, a lot, and that he's worried, and maybe afraid.

Tino sighs. "Look, I don't know how much Berwald and you talk..."

"About you? Enough," Mathias replies wryly. "Enough to make me wish you'd finally give the poor chap some sign, because I swear, not even I was that bad about Lukas before we got together... sometimes it hurts to just look at him, you know. And I'm sure his other friends feel the same."

"Yes," Tino says quietly, "they sort of hate me. All of them."

Mathias raises his brows. "I doubt that. But they probably wish you'd make up your mind."

"I've seen the way Liz is looking at me," Tino says, shaking his head. "And her husband is pretty good at hiding it, but I'm positive Roderich thinks I'm in one league with people who listen to Heavy Metal or use pianos for firewood. Even Arthur said a thing or two, and he usually keeps his thoughts on other people's relationships to himself. Matthew and Brian have teamed up to play matchmakers, and that's the unlikeliest combination imaginable, it freaks me out."

"Well, then, what are you waiting for?" Mathias asks, perplexed.

"Berwald doesn't do things by halves," Tino says slowly, looking at him, as if waiting for approval of this statement.

Mathias nods.

"Well... that's it." Tino shrugs a little helplessly.

"Ah. You're afraid it won't work," Mathias realizes the problem at last.

"That's always a possibility, right? And it'll break his heart. I'll break his heart. And I don't want to be the one to do that. Because I really do like him. A lot."

Mathias thinks about it. _Figures... Berwald is in love, very much so, he's carrying his heart out in the open for anyone to see, and without knowing it, he's scaring the shit out of Tino, who doesn't know if he'll live up to the expectations... and it probably doesn't help that everybody's watching them._

He realizes that it's his turn to say something, give Tino a verbal pat on the back.

"I think you may not be giving yourself enough credit," he says, "Berwald is a good judge of character, and he seems to think you're pretty amazing, so go prove him right, okay? And maybe it'll help to know that there are a lot of people to help pick up the pieces if it doesn't work out."

"Is that a vote of confidence?" Tino asks with a small smile.

"Just do something already, Tino," Mathias huffs. "The _status quo_ sucks."


End file.
